Pressurized containers, for example, cylinders containing industrial gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and so forth for use in manufacturing applications; fluid transportation piping systems; and regulatory or control systems, both hydraulic and pneumatic, typically employ valve mechanisms to selectively control or regulate the flow of fluids or gases within the system. Often, such fluids or gases are stored and transported under pressure, as is the case in the oil and gas industry, where energy products are processed and transported in complex refinery and pipeline systems. These systems require precise regulation of the product flow throughout the entire system, and sophisticated automatic electronic, hydraulic and pneumatic control systems have been developed to manage this formidable task.
Key elements of the foregoing complex manufacturing, transport and control systems are the valves which physically manage the flow of fluid from point to point within a system. Valves may be characterized as either being manually actuated via a handle, lever or wrench, or via an actuator, which may be electrically, pneumatically or hydraulically controlled. In the case of a manufacturing and transportation piping systems, by way of example, heavy duty valve mechanisms, for example, ball valves, control the flow of product from its initial point of extraction from the earth to refineries for further processing and then on to market. Automated control systems, in turn, make use of either electrical signals, or, in the case of hydraulic control systems, incompressible fluids, to selectively control actuators for opening, closing and throttling fluid flow through valve systems, thus eliminating the need to operate valves manually on-site on an individual basis.
While seemingly simple in concept, in practice, securing an actuator to a valve for remote automatic operation can present unanticipated difficulties that may not be overcome by the use of conventional actuator mounting methods. For example, valve body configurations and external dimensions vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, and although certain actuator mounts may be used in connection with valves from various sources, many manufacturers have not designed nor do they offer actuator mounting devices for their specific valve product lines. Moreover, no manufacturer offers an actuator mounting system commercially for general use, and attempts by various valve system designers and end users to clamp or otherwise secure actuators in various positions to valve bodies have not proven satisfactory.
In view of the foregoing, it is apparent that a need exists for a new and useful valve assembly having an improved mounting bracket which permits mounting of an actuator mechanism on a valve to permit remote opening, closing and regulation of the valve by an automated control system.